Wacky PCI

[Konsonum]

It may just be me, but I've noticed the PCI is kind of screwed up for me in online play. I just played against an opponent who uses the same batting method as me (don't move PCI, don't use guess pitch or influence, smash the ball when it goes down Broadway), and the opponent seems to be able to hit balls that are outside his PCI. He hit a few doubles on pitches that were in lower corners while his PCI didn't move anywhere from the middle (the hits came up as Solid - Perfect/Normal, which I don't understand). He also managed to hit a home run off of a cutter up and inside, without moving the PCI (it was off the foul pole).

This isn't the same case for me. When I don't normally wait for a pitch that's well inside my PCI, I usually miss swinging by 'Just Missed' or 'Missed'. I also wanted to note that once, I swung at a fastball that came into the lower half of my PCI, but that came out as a 'Just Missed - Just Late' swing.

Is this just the fault of Sports Connect?

On another note, I seem to keep hitting liners right at fielders or flyballs into the warning track. I almost never get an extra base hit, except for the occasional homer. The only advice I've been given so for is to play in day games. Any helpful advice?

Also, what's the 'Superb' rating I see once in a while? Is it or is it not better than a 'Meatball'? I've seen a person hit a 500+ feet home-run with that before. I've also seen a person grounding out into a double play with that as well.

[cardsleadtheway]

The PCI doesn't make that much sense to me. I have seen ground balls while swinging at pitches that were well above my PCI, and I have popped up pitches that were so far below my PCI that I should have missed it by a mile. I have never played online so I don't know if it is different there, but the physics of the game are pretty off. It is a game though so whatever.

As for the Meatball versus Superb, I believe Meatball only happens when the pitch is left in a location that doesn't require you to move the PCI. I also believe that the Superb rating is when you move the PCI to the perfect location where the ball ends up. You can still get a superb location and have poor timing, thus the ground balls. As for hitting liners right at fielders, some of this is just bad luck, while a lot of it has to do with the pitcher's hit/9 rating. A higher H/9 will have a higher chance of inducing line outs, even when the pitch is left over the plate.

[Konsonum]

Quote: Originally Posted by cardsleadtheway

The PCI doesn't make that much sense to me. I have seen ground balls while swinging at pitches that were well above my PCI, and I have popped up pitches that were so far below my PCI that I should have missed it by a mile. I have never played online so I don't know if it is different there, but the physics of the game are pretty off. It is a game though so whatever.

I've noticed a trend whenever you swing a bat, so I'm just going to share this strategy since it's hard to utilize. Whenever you swing early, you hit the ball to the batter's other side (for example, a righty would hit to the left), with somewhat of a chance it being a ground ball, but that really depends. Whenever you swing late, you hit the ball to the batter's strong-handed side (for example, a righty would hit to the right), with more of a chance it being mostly into the air, or a pop up.

This is just my general observation, but this can vary. This, especially, is influenced by the batter's and pitcher's ratings, and where in the strike zone the ball is hit in.

[Konsonum]

Now I'm ticked off. I just lost 0-1 to a person using the 2nd place Rangers who scored after hitting a pitch outside the zone, FAR from the PCI. It went down as a double, as the first base runner scored.

Even when I hit pitches that are far from my PCI, it doesn't register. And even when I hit a ball that was right in the PCI, Just Late, it was a ground ball that went into a double play.

Seriously. What the hell.

[Jgainsey]

What difficulty level are you using for these online matches?

[Konsonum]

The default. Veteran.

[Jgainsey]

Well there ya go man. The PCI is (almost)completely irrelevant on veteran. Plus, I've always had the impression that the Online difficulties are a little bit easier than their offline counter parts. So you're playing on a pretty easy difficulty.

IMO, If you want the PCI to come into play more, you'll need to start playing games at HOF or Legend.

[DonOfDeth]

Quote: Originally Posted by Jgainsey

Well there ya go man. The PCI is (almost)completely irrelevant on veteran. Plus, I've always had the impression that the Online difficulties are a little bit easier than their offline counter parts. So you're playing on a pretty easy difficulty. IMO, If you want the PCI to come into play more, you'll need to start playing games at HOF or Legend.

The PCI isnt irrelevant on Veteran. Every time I play against a "center-swinger" I check his stats after the game. Very rarely do center-swingers hit over .300. I always move the PCI and I am batting .372 in almost 5000 at-bats.